Practical Application: Moisturizers and Lotions

I recently learned a little fact about lotions and moisturizers that might save some money. I'm talking about the stuff you put on your body, hands, and face.

Lotions and moisturizers do not moisturize your skin all by themselves. They actually just lock in the moisture from recently wet (now slightly damp) skin. So, applying lotions to dry skin doesn't do a lot of good - in fact, it might dry your skin further if it contains alcohol. The best time to apply a moisturizer is just after washing your skin - following a bath or shower and after washing your face or hands.

And, while we're on the subject of lotion, take time today to sort through that drawer or basket of old lotion in your bathroom and recycle the old, mostly empty bottles!

Practical Application: Vacuum Cleaner Filter

If you think you need to buy a new vacuum cleaner, you might be mistaken. I have recently seen the light.

My vacuum was getting so pitiful that Asher was actually picking up Goldfish Crackers by hand and feeding them into the accessory hose because my machine didn't have enough power to pick them up. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that (A) although my bag-less vacuum doesn't need vacuum bags, it does use a filter, and (B) not changing the filter for seven years might affect the vacuum's performance.

With a toddler in the house, vacuuming is a daily necessity. I was getting very fed up with the lack of suction power from my vacuum - to the point that I found myself daydreaming about a new vacuum at Wal-Mart and online, starting at around $100 and going up to $1,000.

When the realization hit me that I should at least TRY to give my old vacuum a tuneup, I started looking at filters. All I had to do was go to the Eureka web site and type in my machine's model number. From there I got the part number for a replacement filter and then went online to find the best price (eventually at vacuumsinc.com). For $20 including shipping, I now have a new filter and a very powerful vacuum. Thank goodness I didn't shell out $100-plus for a new vacuum before I tried the new filter!